Further to our statement issued Tuesday 30TH June 2020, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) wishes to remind once again that the one-year contract of the Interns, which began on 1st July 2019 ended on 30th June  2020.

As a teaching institution, the PHA provides opportunities for medical graduates to advance their training through the completion of a one-year internship as a requirement for licensure with the Bahamas Medical Council. Generally...

NIB has now paid over 34 thousand unemployment benefit (UEB) claimants over $60 million in benefits.  This number continues to grow daily. 
Most recipients have received 8 to 10 weeks of benefit, as NIB prepares to process payments up to the 13-weeks maximum over the next week for many recipients.  However, NIB has found a number of cases where the benefit has been suspended automatically in the system, pending manual verifications of continued unemployment or because contributions continued to be paid by the employer following the lay off dates...

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation’s new, free mobile app provides an easy to use resource and tool for consumers planning a visit to The Islands Of The Bahamas. Key features of the app include: downloadable island guides, flight charter request processing and recommendations based on the user’s geo-location within The Bahamas. It also highlights current deals, Bahamas.com blog posts, an interactive map and suggests top activities for adventure, relaxation and romance...

BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF HEALTH COVID-19 DASHBOARD

Acting Financial Secretary (FS) Marlon Johnson stated that $48 million has been allocated to finance an expansion of the Government’s unemployment assistance programs, administered by the National Insurance Board (NIB), for workers that fall under four categories during a virtual press conference held on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest said the start of the 2020/21 Budget year means that all the tax concessions included in the Budget take effect today, including the duty reductions on construction material and those put in place to stimulate the fishing and agricultural sectors.

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas will observe its 47th Independence under the theme ‘Pressing Onward: A time of Hope, Triumph and Transformation’ this July 10 and we are in the midst of preparing a spectacular national celebration, said the Mark Humes, MP, chairman, 2020 National Independence Celebrations committee, during a press conference June 30.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest stated that this Government’s Administration has acknowledged the decision by credit ratings agency Moody’s to downgrade the country’s credit rating as a result of the economic shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, DPM Turnquest also noted that similarly, Italy, India and even Canada have also seen downgrades.

“I want to reiterate that fair-minded Bahamians know that our current state of fiscal affairs is a result of these external shocks...

The deadline to enter the 2021 Commonwealth education awards for good practice has been extended to 31 August 2020.

The following measures remain in effect to minimize person-to-person contact and increase the safety of patients, staff, and the public.

The public is hereby informed that pursuant to the Emergency Powers (Covid 19) (No. 5) Order, 2020, the Early Childhood Care Act, 2004 (“the Act”) and the Early Childhood Care (National Standards) Regulations 2015, the Ministry of Education in conjunction with the Pre-school and Day-Care Centre Council advises that:

The Royal Bahamas Police Force, Bahamas Red Cross, and the Department of Social Services distributed masks in the Blue Hill Road area this morning, June 30, 2020 to assist residents in keeping safe during the current worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.  Persons resident or visiting The Bahamas are required to wear masks in the interest of controlling community spread of coronavirus. 

(BIS Photos/Derek Smith)...

Entrepreneurial training for 32 successful recipients of the Small Business Recovery (SBR) grant program began last week in a virtual classroom.  The partnership initiative between The Bahamas Red Cross Society (BRCS) and The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) grants up to $6,000 in funding and business support for Grand Bahama micro-businesses impacted by Hurricane Dorian.  The assistance comes at a very critical time for businesses struggling to recover from Dorian and now realizing the effects of COVID-19...

The number of working hours lost across the world in the first half of 2020 was significantly worse than previously estimated, while the highly uncertain recovery in the second half of the year will not be enough to go back to pre-pandemic levels, even in the best scenario, and risks seeing continuing large scale job losses, warns the International Labour Organization (ILO)...

Due to the fact that the Office of the Attorney-General (my Office) failed to deliver a Resolution to extend the Proclamation of Emergency made by His Excellency the Governor General on the 17th March, 2020, in time for the same to be Tabled in the House of Assembly before the end of its last session and the Budget Debate, the initial Proclamation of Emergency will end at 12:00 Midnight this evening.

EMERGENCY POWERS (COVID 19 PANDEMIC) REGULATIONS, 2020

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Emergency Powers Act (Ch. 34), the Governor-General makes the following regulations...

See enclosed

BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF HEALTH COVID-19 DASHBOARD

WHEREAS Article 29( l) of the Constitution recognizes that the Governor­General may make a proclamation that a state of public emergency exists;

The Pharmacy Department at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) is launching a new program for prescription refills for chronic illness medications. The new program which commences on 1st July 2020 utilizes the popular social media platform WhatsApp and allows patients in high risk demographics, such as persons with non-communicable diseases and the elderly, to refill their medications safely.  The new four-step process  seeks to eliminate crowding  in the Hospital’s Pharmacy Area in keeping with social distancing protocols...

On Wednesday July 1st, 2020, international flights will resume for inbound visitors as the government of The Bahamas moves into the third phase of restarting air travel disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.